


hiding in the rose petals (holding onto what you know)

by magnoliafilms



Category: NCT (Band), SuperM (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Blood and Injury, Crushes, Getting Together, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Non-binary character, Scars, Tattoos, extensive flower symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:55:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25378747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnoliafilms/pseuds/magnoliafilms
Summary: He was standing at the front desk, arranging a vibrant bouquet of gorgeously colourful tulips and jonquils. Reds and whites all pressed together in a stunning floral array. The sun lit up his face in the loveliest way Lucas had ever seen. Lucas was well aware that he was staring. He was just glad that two sets of windows and a busy street separated them and kept Mark unaware of the potentially unwelcome attention.
Relationships: Mark Lee/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Comments: 6
Kudos: 101
Collections: SuperM Fest Round One





	hiding in the rose petals (holding onto what you know)

**Author's Note:**

> For Prompt #SPMF35 of SuperM Fest  
> To the prompter: I took your prompt, and I really just absolutely ran with it. I didn't expect a 12k work to emerge, but here we are. I really hope I've done your prompt justice. Thank you to Isis for all your help!
> 
> Please Note: While the violence is only minor, there are descriptions of blood, so please be careful. 
> 
> Work Title is from "Rose Petals" by S. Carey

Lucas rested an elbow on the counter top. The gorgeous morning sun shone through the glass in stunning beams that felt warm against his skin. His head sat heavily in his palm and he stared out the wide arching windows of the parlour at the florists across the street. 

_ He _ was standing at the front desk, arranging a vibrant bouquet of gorgeously colourful tulips and jonquils. Reds and whites all pressed together in a stunning floral array. The sun lit up his face in the loveliest way Lucas had ever seen. Mark – as Lucas had come to know him – had begun working at the Snow Flower Boutique just 4 months ago. 

The Snow Flower Boutique was a warehouse-esque plant shop, and sold everything from floral arrangements, to bouquets and potted plants.

Lucas knew that there were other employees. There had to be with a shop that large, and he’d seen massive trucks moving around the outside of the establishment. But he had never been on shift while anyone else was watching the shop. 

Lucas was also well aware that he was staring. He was just glad that two sets of windows and a busy street separated them and kept Mark unaware of the potentially unwelcome attention. 

Lucas watched him for a few moments more, the slow and methodical way he lifted some of the flowers and trimmed their stalks before putting them carefully back in their place and adjusting the surrounding leaves.

Lucas turned away. Inspected the bookings and appointments for the day that were written in Baekhyun's neat and tidy handwriting and set to work organizing and sanitizing the needles and guns, arranging the inks and dyes and sketch pads.

His first client was a consultation at 10:30. He had just over half an hour until they would arrive, so he settled himself in the comfortable chair at the front desk and pulled out a small paperback novel.

As he read, his fingers flicked over the yellowing pages. The book wasn’t particularly interesting, nor was it even remotely thought provoking, but the strange title had been recommended by Mark, and when Lucas had seen it in a two dollar bin outside a second hand shop, he couldn’t help himself.

It was steady work, and he quickly found himself lost within the novel. Seconds turned into minutes and soon enough he was startled out of his trance-like state by the front door to the parlour swinging open. 

He glanced up and expected to see his client. His customer service smile already smeared across his face as he closed his book quickly. But the face that met his own was too familiar.

Mark Lee stood just in front of the doorway. He looked out of place. It wasn’t necessarily what he was wearing (Though, perhaps it was – a pastel coloured sweatshirt with an embroidered snail on the left side, paired with light washed jeans). Lucas thought that it was simply the fact that he was standing in the middle of the tattoo parlour holding the largest bouquet of flowers he’d ever seen. As he watched Mark shift awkwardly from one foot to the other, he realised that this was the floral arrangement he had been working on earlier.

“Hi.” Mark said simply, his voice came out a little scratchy, and managed to somehow catch on the single-syllable word.

“Hi.” Lucas offered oh-so-helpfully.

There was a strange pause as they stared at each other awkwardly. Mark swapped which hand held the bouquet and rested the other against his neck as he stared back at Lucas.

“Are those for me?” Lucas tried, he was beginning to realise that maybe he wasn’t as good at this as he had first thought. 

“Oh– Yes! Uh… Well… For the shop…” Mark’s tongue was trying it’s best to keep up with his head, “It’s just… Always so doom and gloom in here, and I thought you could use a little colour to brighten things up a little. I tried to match the colour scheme, but we don’t have many black flowers… I thought the red and white looked nice together. So yeah. They’re for you… If you wanted them that is…”

Lucas almost felt disappointed. But he smiled and nodded and reached over to take the bouquet from Mark.

“They’re lovely.” He said as he met Mark’s eyes. “I think... I saw a vase around here the other day…” He hurried over to a storage cupboard behind the main desk. As he opened the door hurriedly at least six other things fell out onto the floor. But he found a vase quickly and held it up above his head like a trophy for Mark to see.

Mark moved over quietly and took the vase out of his hands gently. There was a sink by one of the tables and he ran the water, held his hand under the steady stream until he was satisfied with the temperature and proceeded to half fill the vase. He then placed the vase on the front desk and took the bouquet from Lucas’s hands.

He unwrapped the paper from around them and carefully arranged them into the vase again. His hands moved quickly, sturdy and practiced. He stood over the vase for a long period of time before he stopped, rested his hands by his sides and looked up at Lucas with a grin that spanned his entire face.

Lucas thought of the sun streaming through the window earlier that morning. It couldn’t even begin to compare with that smile. And so Lucas smiled back, and tried to absorb as much of that warmth as he could before Mark switched his gaze to his feet and flushed a bright shade of red. 

“Should I pay you for these?” Lucas asked, already reaching for his wallet. 

Mark thrust out his hands rather quickly. “No, no no no. They’re a gift. Don’t worry about it.”

“Oh,” Lucas said and looked over at the flowers, “They really are beautiful.” He said, “Let me at least take you out for dinner, it’s the least I can do.”

Mark, if it was in any way possible, flushed a deeper shade of red, “It’s really no problem, I just thought they’d suit the shop.”

“Please?” Lucas tried again softly, “Or lunch, or coffee? Or something?” 

Mark coughed into his elbow, “Ok, yeah.” He said, “I could do coffee. Uhh… Tomorrow? At ten?”

Lucas grinned, a brilliant and beaming smile that Mark thought seemed almost out of place in such a dark environment like the parlour. “I’ll meet you outside the shop, I know this great place.”

“Alright,” Mark said, before he checked his watch. “Shit,” He cursed under his breath, “I’m so sorry, I’ve gotta go.” He turned to leave with an apologetic glance and was halfway out the door when he turned back to look Lucas in the eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Lucas smiled again and Mark tried his best not to stumble over his own feet as he made his way back across the street to the flower shop. When he reached the door he opened it slowly and turned to give Lucas a little wave through the front window of the shop.

✿

Lucas tapped his foot against the sidewalk anxiously. He was entirely too early, but he’d decided at some point in the early hours of the morning that he couldn’t risk being late.

And so there he was, standing outside the currently closed flower shop with a safety blanket of about thirty minute securely tucked under his belt. He pulled out his phone and scrolled mindlessly through his instagram feed.

It was for the most part other tattoo artists works, beautifully captured shots of intricate designs. Some of his friends in the industry were particularly talented, Kim Jongin was incredibly well known for his stunning constellatory works. And Ten Lee was one of the best in the business where it came to realistic pieces. 

He’d stopped on one of Ten’s designs, a pair of slender hands intertwined on the side of someone's abdomen. Somehow, Ten had perfectly captured the immaculate detail in whatever relationship these hands had. 

There was almost a sense of longing that seemed to spill from the picture. Lucas could only imagine how gorgeous it would have been in real life. Lucas’ own style was nowhere near as refined. He’d been in the business for a total of two years.

He’d always had a talent for art, taken classes for years at school, but looking at designs from people he so admired, made his own pieces seem small in comparison. He frowned at his phone, but was interrupted from his conflicting thoughts by the shuffling of feet and the quietest, “Oh, you’re early too.”

Lucas glanced up to see Mark smiling nervously at him. He laughed awkwardly and slipped his phone into his pocket. “Yeah.” He ran a hand through his hair and offered his best attempt at an awkward smile back at Mark. “Didn’t want to be late.”

Mark’s bottom lip was bleeding, there was a tiny cut on the left side. He seemed relatively unbothered by it, and Lucas didn’t want to bring it up in case it was a touchy subject. So he did his best to ignore it. 

“Me neither,” Mark said. There was a moment of silence, verging on uncomfortable and simply unfilled. Then Mark spoke up again, “Could I just check on the flowers? Some of them need watering.”

“Yeah, yeah of course.” Lucas said and moved to stand beside the door as Mark produced a key from within one of his pockets. The inside of the plant shop was as vibrant and colourful as Lucas had expected. The air was just slightly warmer than the temperature outside, Mark stepped over to the front desk of the establishment. He flicked a couple of switches on the wall and suddenly the room was lit up.

The large white LEDs that hung from the roof cast a stunning ghostly glow over the plants and flowers that covered most of the surfaces in the shop. Lucas glanced over at Mark as he rifled through a desk drawer at the counter, he already looked more comfortable in this new environment.

Mark looked up and caught him staring, he smiled, a gentle blush fell over the tips of his ears, “Feel free to wander,” he said, “I just want to make sure I have everything set up so I don’t have to worry about rushing back.”

Lucas nodded and spun around, making his way down one of the aisles. He stopped in front of one that caught his eye. Tiny gorgeous star shaped purple flowers were scattered across it. The detail on the inside of the blossoms was immaculate.

He reached out a gentle hand and pinched the edge of one of the blooms between his thumb and index finger. He looked for a tag, something to identify the plant but couldn’t find anything on its pot or on the table underneath.

He decided he’d ask Mark later.

Mark was standing over in one of the darker corners of the shop, he was holding a watering can in one hand and was inspecting a plant's leaves with the other. Lucas smiled to himself and turned away, continuing his walk through the different specimens. 

He paused at another, this one had spiny green leaves and gorgeous pink and yellow flowers. He wished he’d brought his sketch pad. Maybe Mark would let him come and draw some of the plants in the shop if he asked nicely.

Again he reached out and felt the leaves, and was unsuccessful in his search for the plant's name.

“Moss-Rose Purslane.” Said a voice from behind him. Lucas turned to see Mark standing a few inches away. He was smiling down at the plant with gentle eyes. “Portulaca, she doesn’t need it much. Just a little water every now and again. They usually like desert environments. She’s virtually a cactus, but no one seems to want her.”

“Aw,” Lucas said gently, feeling slightly bad for the plant. “You really need to label your plants.”

Mark hummed softly as he felt the soil in the purslane’s pot. He lifted the watering can he’d been holding earlier and sprinkled some water over the plant. “But my job is to tell you everything you need to know.”

Lucas liked this, how comfortable they were being around each other, how easily Mark was able to talk to him. He also liked the plant shop. It felt homely, and clean. Wandering down the aisles was therapeutic, in a way. 

“I was wondering…” Lucas started, and Mark glanced up at him with wide eyes, “Would I be able to come back and draw some of these? I have some ideas for designs and I think they’d be really cool.”

Mark frowned and thought for a moment, he pressed his tongue against the cut on his lip for just a second. “I mean… I don’t see why that would be an issue… As long as you were only coming by in the quiet periods, I suppose you could always come by in the mornings, just before openings.”

“Like now?” Lucas asked with a smile, his fingers were buzzing with the promise of potential inspiration, and (what he’d never admit out loud) getting to spend a little more time with Mark. 

Mark laughed softly, Lucas wanted to melt into the sound. “Yeah,” Mark said, “Like now.”

✿

When Mark was satisfied with the way the shop was looking, and that he’d taken care of each plant and flower that needed watering, they left. Stepping out into the autumnal air.

The coffee shop Lucas took them to wasn’t far away, but the mildly bitter chill that crept through the air did nothing to soften the journey. 

It was a tiny hole in the wall cafe, Lucas was friends with one of the baristas and had been put off regular coffee ever since he’d tried one of the ones they sold there. 

They stepped inside and found a table, slinging their jackets over the backs of the seats. Lucas turned to Mark, “What did you want?”

Mark stared at the neatly printed chalkboard that hung on the wall behind the counter. “Probably just a latte.” He stepped forwards, likely to go order, but Lucas poked his shoulder.

“My treat, remember?” Mark smiled, just the tiniest lifting of the corners of his mouth. He nodded once.

“I’ll go save the table.” He said and turned on his heel, to make his way back to where their things were located.

Lucas ordered. And when their drinks came they sat together and talked about books they’d read, songs they liked. Lucas even pulled out his phone to show Mark some of the tattoos he’d done recently. 

It was nice. The soft atmosphere of the cafe felt welcoming and almost perfectly mimicked the energy of the plant shop. Mark seemed more comfortable. He smiled more easily and laughed more frequently. 

After a while, they finished the last of their coffees. Mark half cleaned the table and made sure the cups were stacked inside each other. Afterwards, Lucas walked Mark back to the plant shop, and when he stood outside the doorway of the Snow Flower to say goodbye, they both promised they’d do it again. 

✿

Lucas arrived outside the Snow Flower Boutique with a satchel containing his sketchpad and pencils slung over his shoulder and a carry cup with two take away coffees in his hands. He knocked on the door quietly and tried to ignore the bitter chill of the outside air. 

Mark was at the door in an instant, unlocking it quickly and holding the door open for Lucas. He smiled and greeted Lucas in a soft voice. Lucas held out one of the take away cups. He hadn't known what to get so he’d just ordered what Mark had had when they went out together. 

Mark took the cup gratefully and thanked him. He took a sip and swallowed, “So you just want to draw the flowers?” He asked as he moved over to the front desk. 

Lucas nodded, “I’ll stay out of your way, I just think there's some really lovely ones that could work as delicate pieces.”

“Right,” Mark said, and the tips of his ears turned the slightest shade of pink, “Do you need a chair or something? I imagine we have one around here…” He turned and opened a cupboard behind the front desk.

“Oh no.” Lucas said, “If it's too much trouble don’t worry about it. I can always sit on the floor if I need to.”

“Well, I suppose if you’re sure.” Mark said with a slight frown. “Is it ok if I check up on everything? I just have to make sure everyone’s looking their best before opening.”

“Yeah, yeah of course,” Lucas said, “Just yell at me if I’m in the way at all.”

“You’re not…” Mark said a little too quickly, and tried to cover it up with a nervous sounding laugh, “Uhm, Don’t worry about it.”

Lucas smiled as Mark fetched his watering can and a pair of green coloured gloves from the cupboard he’d been looking in before. Lucas left him to his gardening, and wandered over to the aisle where he’d found the purslane before. 

She was sitting exactly where Lucas remembered. Tucked away behind some large green leafy monstrosity. He opened his satchel and pulled out his sketchpad. Selected a pencil as he leant against the edge of the table of the opposite aisle. 

He began to draw, filling almost the entire page with strings of those same leaves, striped and curving across the page, he added small objects, a key surrounded by the stretching strands, a thimble sitting atop a bent leaf. By the end, he had covered most of the white surface with lines and scratches, pencilled leaves and curling stems. 

Mark silently appeared on his left and watched over his shoulder for a while. He seemed to have a talent for moving around the shop without being noticed. Lucas found it endearing.

“You really like her don’t you.” Mark said with a fond smile.

Lucas looked from his page to the plant and finally up at Mark. “Yeah, I guess I do.” He said with a grin, “There’s just something about her.”

“I know what you mean.” Mark said kindly, “That’s beautiful.” He said, pointing to the page.

Lucas glanced down at it, “it’s just some ideas I suppose. You know? How I could use it in a different setting. I love these leaves.”

“You’re really talented, you’ve actually captured just how lovely purslanes are.” Mark gazed at the page again. There was a beautiful sense of pride in his eyes. 

“It’s just practice I guess,” Lucas said as he looked at the plant again, and a lovely subject. 

They were silent for a moment, both looking at the purslane with awed expressions. Such a small seemingly unloved plant with so much character. Lucas couldn’t have imagined not finding it endearing.

“Which one is your favourite?” He asked after a while, looking up at Mark with curious eyes. ‘

Mark looked almost startled. “Oh.” He said, and looked down at his shoes, “No one has ever really asked me that before.”

“I’m sure it’s really special.” Lucas said patiently and Mark flushed a light shade of pink.

“You could say that,” he paused and looked down at his feet, “I could show you… If you wanted…”

Mark looked nervous as he spoke and Lucas realised just how big of a deal this was. How much this offer meant to Mark. It was like Lucas showing Mark his own tattoos or his secret designs and personal pieces. It was a part of Mark that he was evidently afraid to share.

“I’d love to.” Lucas said quickly, trying to convey his support with encouraging words and smiles. 

“Ok,” Mark said softly, “ Come with me.”

He turned and moved down the aisle. Lucas tucked away his sketchpad and pencils and walked quickly to catch up. Mark led him into a smaller area of the plant shop, at the back was a door, he opened it and walked inside first, then he stopped and held the door open for Lucas. 

Inside was a kind of breakroom-esque storage area. There were lockers along one of the walls and a counter with a microwave and kettle on top. Cupboards and drawers with cutlery and mugs were situated around the counter and in the middle of the room was a standard sized dining table.

There were scratches and indents along the surface and the edges of the wood looked as though they had been scraped or carved away.

But the real centrepiece was the gorgeous potted bush in the corner. The leaves were a vibrant shade of green, and the plant was evidently on the younger side of its life, judging by its smaller size and the number of bulbs scattered across it.

What really stood out were the flowers. Two stunning baby pink coloured blossoms that were in full bloom. 

“She’s an Eighteen Scholars.” Mark said proudly, his expression had smoothed over completely and he no longer looked anxious and apprehensive, “It’s a type of Camelia. One flower can have up to one-hundred and thirty individual petals. They’re called that because one bush can sprout eighteen flowers.” He stepped forwards and began to press at the soil, he frowned and moved over to the sink, where he took a mug from the cupboard and ran the tap. 

He held his fingers under the water like he’d done earlier at the tattoo parlour. Filled the mug and poured a generous amount into the plant pot. 

“It’s really lovely,” Lucas said, and he meant it. He thought the plant was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen in his life. “Do you think I could… Could I sketch it? I think I have some ideas for a design…” 

Mark smiled, gorgeous and shining, and Lucas resisted the urge to just draw him instead. “Of course! Do you need a seat? Just grab one from the table if you do. I have to go finish setting up, will you be alright?”

“I’ll be fine Mark,” Lucas said, and when Mark looked almost reluctant to leave, he reached out a hand towards Mark, “I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.”

Mark gave a small smile, “Thank you.” He said and quickly left the room. Lucas pulled up a chair from the table and set it so that it was close enough that he could properly see the detail of the blooms. 

They really were even more stunning up close, the centre petals were naturally placed so that they created the shape of a star and the surrounding petals created an almost spiralling pattern that led to the outer edges of the flower. Some of the petals even had darker shadings along the edges. 

Lucas tried his best to replicate it’s beauty properly. Using shaded lines and curved edges, he carefully illustrated the anatomy of the flower, and when he was finished he decided to work on sketching some of the leaves. 

They were a lovely dark colour and he gently shaded over the stems and tips with the side of his pencil. He was so completely lost in the piece that he didn’t notice Mark’s return.

“How do you do that?” Mark said, and Lucas nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned to see Mark standing just behind him and peering curiously over his shoulder at the nearly finished page. 

Lucas turned back to his page and nervously re-shaded the edge of one of the leaves, “Do what?” he said without meeting Mark’s eyes.

“Can I?” Mark said, avoiding the question and reaching for Lucas’s sketchbook instead. Lucas nodded slightly and lifted the book from its place on his lap, handing it over to Mark. 

Mark held it beside one of the blooms and flicked his gaze from the paper to the real thing. “It’s like a damn photograph.” He whispered, “Where did you learn to draw like that?”

“I mean, I took art classes in school, did some still life lessons. It was just practice really.” Lucas could feel his cheeks flushing and he ran his fingers nervously through the hair at the back of his head.

“It’s incredible.” Mark said, and then he stopped, looked at the drawing for a moment longer and then glanced up at Lucas. “You said it was for a tattoo design… Right?”

“Well, yeah.” Lucas said, “It could be for anything really, but a Tattoo would probably be the primary use for it.”

Mark looked at the paper again, “Would you… I mean. How much would it be, for a piece like that?” 

Lucas narrowed his eyes, “I don’t know,” He said, “It would depend on how big it was going to be. If it was as big as the sketch I’d say around one-fifty to two-hundred dollars. Why?”

“I mean, I was just wondering if you’d consider doing one for me…” Mark said, and refused to meet Lucas’s eyes, instead gazing at his beloved Camellia. 

“Of course” Lucas said immediately, eyes going wide at the possibility, “Where would you want it?”

Mark finally looked at him, he laughed softly “Uhm… I’m not sure. I’ve never gotten a tattoo before.”

Lucas smiled, “That’s ok. But are you sure you actually want this? From me? You know I could refer you to heaps of other more qualified artists…”

Mark cut him off, “No.” He said firmly, “If you’re comfortable, I’d really appreciate it if you did it.” He held up the page, “I want this piece, not someone else's.”

Lucas smiled even wider at that, “Ok,” He said, his chest felt warm and his stomach felt a little wiggly, but the pure openness that was reflecting off of Mark’s face was priceless and he felt as though he were being wrapped in a tight embrace. “Well how big did you want the design? If we can work out that part, I can try and help with placement ideas.”

“This big, I think. And I guess I want it somewhere I can see it” Mark said as he ran a finger over the grooves of the page. 

“I’d suggest your forearm for visibility, especially if you want it that big.” Lucas ran his hand over the inside of his own arm, he didn’t have any of his own tattoos there, they were mostly all covering his back, but recently he’d been contemplating some potential designs. 

Mark grinned, beautiful and whole and Lucas did his very best not to fall out of his chair. “I’d like that.” He said and traced his spare hand over the exposed skin of his own forearm. The black t-shirt he was wearing cut off just above where Lucas imagined the tattoo would go. 

“That’s great.” Lucas said, “Would you want it done sometime soon? Because I think I’d have to check my schedule back at the parlour…”

“Oh yeah, of course.” Mark said quickly, “Just uhm, let me know when you have an opening… Wait. Give me your phone.” 

Lucas frowned, mild confusion kicking in. Even so, he reached a hand into his satchel and pulled out his phone. He unlocked it and handed it to Mark.

Mark clicked away and typed something into the screen. There was a soft whoosh that came from Lucas’s phone and resounding ding that originated from somewhere in Mark’s back pocket. He pressed the power button to switch the device off and handed it back to Lucas. 

“Now I have your number, and you have mine.” Mark said, looking quite pleased with himself. “You can just text me instead of coming to visit.”

“But what if I like seeing you.” Lucas said reflexively, before realising what he’d said. He felt his ears go hot and he was certain that he was blushing furiously.

Mark only smiled, that tiny, innocent one that Lucas had come to know meant he was laughing internally. “Oh,” He said, and Lucas thought he saw the tips of his ears go the slightest bit red. “Well that’s nice I suppose…”

“I should go… I’ll go and check the schedule.” Lucas said rather awkwardly as he stood abruptly and began to pack away his things. Mark handed the sketchbook over wordlessly and shifted Lucas’s chair back to where it had been originally. 

Lucas slung his satchel back over his shoulder and Mark led the way back into the main warehouse area. Lucas gave him a little wave as he opened the door to let himself out. “I’ll text you!” He called, and Mark tipped his head in acknowledgement. 

The cool outside air chilled Lucas’s flushed face and allowed him to hide his embarrassment. He held tight to the strap of his satchel and looked both ways before crossing the road. 

Once inside the parlour, he made his way over to the front desk. Baekhyun, the owner of the parlour, emerged from one of the consultation rooms with a customer. They looked a little surprised to see Lucas but bid the customer farewell before turning to greet him.

Baekhyun moved over to where Lucas was sitting at the desk and rested their elbows against the solid surface, cupping their chin with one hand. “Didn’t think I’d see you this early.” Baekhyun said carefully, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you started at eleven on Thursdays.”

“I got a commision from a  _ friend _ .” He said the word carefully and Baekhyun’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the change in tone. “I just wanted to check my schedule.”

“And this friend wouldn’t happen to be in the botanical industry… Correct?”

Lucas scrunched up his nose and felt his ears turn red again. 

“Ah... “ Baekhyun said, with a shit-eating grin on their face, “What’s he after?”

“A flower he likes. I did a rough sketch and he decided he wanted it on his arm.”

“Of course he did.” Lucas could see the way Baekhyun practically rolled their eyes. “Why am I not surprised.”

“Oh shut up,” Lucas said as he looked around the desk for something to throw at them. 

“I’m just joking.” Baekhyun laughed, “It’s cute.” Baekhyun stepped behind the counter and took the computer mouse out of Lucas’s hand. They clicked through a few screens until they reached their own schedule, their next client was yet  _ another _ consultation in a half hour. 

“I’m gonna go sort some boxes out back. Give me a shout if you need me.” They said and reached out a hand to ruffle Lucas’s hair. 

Lucas groaned and reached up to fix the mess they’d made, really wishing he’d thrown something earlier. When Baekhyun had left, he pulled out his phone. With one hand he tapped open the message Mark had sent himself, and with the other he clicked into his own schedule, minimising Baekhyun’s on the desktop.

He had an opening the following Monday in the morning. He clicked around a few times and blocked out a time slot. Then he picked up his phone and looked at the message Mark had sent.  _ Hey. It’s Lucas _ . The text read. And the contact name Mark had picked at the top of the screen was  _ Plant Boy _ with a tiny green sprout emoji next to it. 

Lucas smiled, a great stretching thing that made all the muscles in his face pull tight. He laid his phone in his lap and stared at the ceiling for a moment. Grinning with everything he had, before at last picking his phone back up and sending a text of his own.

“Hey,” He typed, “It’s the  _ real _ Lucas haha. I just wanted to let you know the earliest spot I have is Monday at like 9:30. Let me know if that works. :) I can probably find something later if you’d like.”

He hit send, and then immediately closed his phone and tossed it onto the desk so that it slid along and hit the edge of the computer. He put a finger between his teeth and smiled, spinning his chair around and laughing softly to himself.

✿

Mark had agreed, assuring him that there was another employee at the plant shop who could cover his shift.  _ Another mystery solved _ , Lucas thought to himself. He stood beside one of the beds and arranged the guns. He’d gotten up extra early, and arrived at the parlour even before Baekhyun. 

He’d arranged and rearranged all the supplies he needed multiple times since he’d gotten there. And was now anxiously pacing around the parlour. His shoes tapped repetitively against the wooden panels on the floor. Baekhyun opened the door from their office and stuck their head out to glare at Lucas. 

“That’s getting really old, real fast.” They said and narrowed their eyes. “Could you not just sit down? There’s still like half an hour until he gets here.”

Lucas frowned, “I can’t sit down,” he said, “What if he gets here early?”

“Then he’ll be here early.” Baekhyun said firmly, “I get that this is a big deal for you, but it’s really not  _ that _ big of a deal. And I’m also really fucking hungover right now and you walking around like a damn sasquatch is not helping my bloody headache.”

Lucas stopped pacing immediately, “Right.” He said quickly, and offered a sheepish grin, “Sorry about that.”

Baekhyun shut their door firmly. So Lucas pulled out his phone instead, walking as quietly as he could over to the front desk. He looked up pictures of the plant, brilliantly coloured Camellias came up almost immediately and he pulled out his sketchpad. He tore the page with the sketched drawing of Mark's eighteen scholars.

He had a few set designs that he’d printed into templates for the piece and he hoped that at least one of them was what Mark was after. He folded the paper carefully, making sure all of the edges were lined up and even and put it into his satchel.

He laid his phone on the desk beside his sketchpad and began to replicate the image on screen. He loved drawing them, the camellias, each one seemed to have different sized or shaped petals and they never quite looked the same. 

As he was adding a few last details, he heard the door open. Lucas snapped his head up to see Mark standing awkwardly in the doorway.

“Mark!” He said with a smile, and stood from his chair. He walked around the side of the desk and came to stand in front of the other boy. “Ready?” He asked in a soft voice. 

“I think so,” Mark said quietly and tipped his head forwards.

Lucas led the way over to the chair and helped Mark into it. Mark slid his jacket off and Lucas took it and hung it on a silver hook that was attached to the wall. He pulled out the templates to show Mark. When he’d designed them, they were all similar styles, just different angles or shapes of the same flower. Mark spent around five minutes deciding before handing over the one he’d selected.

It was a front facing view of one of the bulbs in full bloom. Lucas had thought that that one had turned out the best. Lucas set about organising all of his equipment.

“Is it going to hurt much?” Mark asked as he rolled up the sleeve of his t-shirt, it was a similar one to that which he’d been wearing the last time they’d seen each other, though it was a lighter shade.

Lucas picked up the tattoo gun in one hand, “If I’m being honest, probably yeah.” Mark grimaced ever so slightly, “But you can just tell me when you need a break, I’m not going to _try_ to hurt you if you’re in agonising pain.”

Mark smiled weakly at that, “Ok,” He said, “I think I’m ready.”

And so Lucas got to work.

✿

Tattooing Mark was strange, though not awful. He stayed silent for most of the time, and barely flinched when Lucas pressed the needle tip to his skin. He asked for one break, but for the rest of the process, he simply gritted his teeth and flexed his fingers.

Lucas had expected it to be more awkward. Being so close seemed awfully intimate at first glance. But Lucas found himself completely focused on his task and less focused on the fact that it was  _ Mark. _

When he finally finished, he gave Mark a moment to compose himself and moved off to one of the cupboards to collect some ointment and clingfilm. He returned to find Mark in tears.

“Hey, hey.” He said gently, “What’s going on? Are you ok?”

Mark sniffed and attempted a tearful smile. “I’m fine. I’m fine. It’s just… Wow. You did a good job.” He sniffed again, and wiped his nose with the back of his other hand. “Thank you, thank you so much.”

“It’s ok. Really, it was absolutely no trouble Mark.” Lucas held out a hand in offering, and Mark took it, fitting his fingers between Lucas’s carefully. 

“No it’s just… They were my mother’s favourite. My one that I showed you was hers, it’s all I have left of her. So it just… It really means a lot. Thank you, Lucas.”

They sat for a moment, silent apart from Mark’s occasional sniffling. At last, Lucas gently squeezed Mark’s hand, he pointed to Mark’s arm. “I'm gonna have to cover that up, just to keep it clean. Is that alright?” He asked.

Mark nodded, and wiped his nose once more. He had, for the most part, stopped crying. Lucas swiped some ointment out of the jar and onto his finger and wiped it over the fresh tattoo. When he was finished he wrapped Mark’s forearm in clingfilm.

“That should be all good to go. Are you sure you’re going to be ok?” He was hesitant to let Mark leave, given his current state. But Mark simply nodded once more and gave him a watery smile. 

Mark moved to the counter to pay, when he got there he noticed the flowers that still sat in their vase. “They’re starting to wilt.” He said, “I’ll bring you some more.”

Lucas smiled, but assured him that it wasn’t necessary. However, Mark was persistent, promising a beautiful array, stating that the parlour needed more colour.

At last Lucas conceded, and Mark’s expression, while still tearstained, looked somewhat satisfied. 

Lucas watched him go. But rather than turn left or right down the street towards where the way to his home likely would have been, Mark instead crossed the road and knocked on the door of the plant shop. Lucas had in fact, noticed that Mark never seemed to go home. He’d never thought it odd, just a simple fact. 

The door was opened by a young man, his face was all harsh angles and cutting features. Mark turned, revealing the partially covered tattoo. The man stared for a moment at Mark’s arm, before something softened in his expression. 

The man pulled Mark in, and held him tightly against his body, pressed Mark’s head into his chest. From the way Mark’s shoulders shook, Lucas could tell he was crying again. 

Lucas looked away, feeling as though he were intruding on an intimate moment. Something pulled in his chest. Fresh and tight and gripping. He wasn’t entirely sure what to do with this influx of feelings, so he took a seat at the front desk, pulled out his sketchbook and began to draw.

✿

Mark arrived the next day, carrying a colourful bouquet. He shuffled his feet a little awkwardly when he first entered the parlour, but he seemed more relaxed than he had in past visits. Lucas took the old flowers from the vase, and Mark tipped the water into the sink. 

He refilled the vase with clean water and put the new bouquet inside, untying the yellow papers that held the flowers together. He put the vase back where it had been originally and stood back to admire his work. 

Mark had a bruise on his left cheek, it was fairly fresh from what Lucas could tell, it wasn’t particularly dark, just a light abrasion of the skin. Lucas wondered for a second how he’d gotten it, but was distracted from his thoughts as Baekhyun suddenly emerged from their office and paused when they saw Mark. Mark looked almost unreasonably nervous for a second.

“You must be Mark, I’m Baekhyun. I own the parlour.” Baekhyun said, extending a hand, “Lucas has told me  _ so _ very much about you.”

Lucas hissed and shot a death stare in Baekhyun’s direction. Mark only laughed and took the offered hand in his own. Shaking it once, twice.

“Has he really? Only good things I hope.” Mark said, the amusement clear in his tone, his gaze flickered over to land on Lucas, but Lucas was too preoccupied glaring at Baekhyun to notice. 

“Only the best,” Baekhyun said with a smirk. “I heard you got a tattoo yesterday, how’s it feeling?” 

“Oh it’s fine, I think. A little itchy, but Lucas said that was normal.”

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Baekhyun said, “Do you have some ointment to put on it in case of scabbing?”

Mark paused and thought for a moment, “I think so, I’m sure my brother will have something somewhere.”

Baekhyun nodded, “If you can’t find any, let me know, we have plenty here.” Mark thanked them, and Baekhyun retreated to their office.

There was a moment of silence where they simply stood, together and quiet. Just existing in each other's presence. It wasn’t unpleasant, it was just there. A piece of time that likely would have gone unnoticed if it were anyone else.

“Well,” Mark said in that soft voice of his, “Thank you again, but I think I should get going.”

“Right, of course.” Lucas stood from his seat and moved to open the door for Mark. Mark was halfway out the door when he suddenly had an idea. “Wait, Mark... “ Mark paused, turning slightly, just so that he was facing Lucas properly, he raised an eyebrow, a silent question in his eyes.

“Would you want to maybe… Get dinner with me?” Lucas said, mustering every ounce of his confidence and trying his best to pretend his hands weren’t shaking.

“Oh,” Mark said, and then with the slightest upwards turn of the corners of his mouth, he said, “Yeah I would.”

“Ok…” Lucas’s grip on the door handle tightened ever so slightly, “I’ll text you, yeah?” 

“Yeah.” Mark said, with that inevitable tilting nod of his “Goodbye Lucas. I’ll see you later.”

Lucas shut the door behind him, and when he was sure Mark was entirely out of sight, punched the air like some lovesick fool. 

✿

The restaurant they ended up choosing was one of the quieter types. Barely a few steps above a late night diner, it was quaint and felt somehow homely. But the best part was that it was significantly less populated than the more  _ chic _ choices that seemed to scatter their town. 

Lucas had decided he had no business being early as they had agreed upon a set time, and was pleased to see Mark stepping up to the entrance just as he did. Lucas waved, a tiny awkward gesture that almost didn’t feel forced. 

Mark paused in the doorway and held the door open for Lucas as he stepped inside. They found a table, tucked away in a corner. There was a large leafy pot plant that stood off to one side, and Lucas noticed how Mark discreetly held a hand out and touched its leaves as he walked past.

Their waiter was an older man, and he wore a coloured name tag that read simply,  _ Kun _ . He smiled at them and took their orders on a small wrinkled notepad that he held in one hand. 

Their food arrived, and they engaged in polite conversation, Mark talked extensively about a new shipment of plants that was supposed to arrive on Thursday. There were some new species arriving that he hadn’t seen before and he was excited to get them out on the shop floor. 

In the beginning there had been a sense of awkwardness that had fallen over them, but the more they talked, the more relaxed they both became. There were still the light tense ups as they brushed hands when reaching for the salt. Or when one party began speaking over the other. But Lucas was happy, he felt they’d come a long way since they’d first met. And Mark looked happy, genuinely positive to be there.

They finished their meal, and Kun came to take their dishes away, wishing them a pleasant evening as they left. 

It was quiet outside and Lucas suggested going for a walk in the dark. The air outside was fresh and blew across their exposed skin, the backs of Mark’s ankles, Lucas’s neck. The night sky was dark and a few clouds drifted lazily across it. The stars shone, tiny beads of light in a pool of inky blackness. 

The scattered street lights lit the footpath in front of them. It was quiet out, the only sound were their continuous footsteps and gentle breaths. Lucas’s breath spun in clouds of steam just in front of him and he blew out a breath, forcing the air out in a stream. Mark laughed, soft and almost barely there. Lucas smiled into the darkness.

“Could you hold this?” Mark suddenly said. Lucas looked down at him to see his hand bunched up in a fist around something.

“Oh,” Lucas said, “Yeah of course.” He reached an outstretched palm towards Mark. Mark reached forwards as they walked and held his closed fist against Lucas’s hand for a moment before sliding his fingers out and taking Lucas’s hand in his own.

Lucas laughed then. Warm and loud in the cool evening air. “That was so cheesy.” He said, but squeezed Mark’s hand tighter all the same. 

Mark had gone red, the coloured tips of his ears could just be seen in the dim light. Lucas bumped their shoulders together, pulling Mark just a little bit closer with their connected hands. 

“I hope you know that’s all the confidence I have, down the drain.” Mark said quietly as he swung their linked hands. 

“I’m glad that’s what you used it for then.” Lucas said sincerely, and bumped their shoulders again. 

It felt more natural, moving through the streets with their joined hands. Lucas was warm, and Mark leant into him occasionally. Stealing that warmth with a tender smile. Lucas didn’t mind.    
  


After a while, Lucas realised that they were near the flower shop, near the parlour. He nudged Mark and pointed to the nearest street sign. He’d expected a positive reaction, but Mark paled instead, the colour drained from his face.

“Lucas…” He began, “I think we should… We should get out of here.” He pulled gently on Lucas’s hand, taking a nervous step back. 

“Oh,” Lucas said, utterly confused, “What’s going on?”

“I can’t… We can’t be here. Not right now.” Mark was practically pulling Lucas away now, dragging him behind as he walked. 

They didn’t get very far.

“Mark Lee.” A voice said from the shadows and Mark froze, his hand tightened around Lucas’s as his feet glued themselves to the ground.

A tall man stepped out of the darkness. He was dressed in a suit, the material had evidently been recently ironed and he twisted one of his cufflinks with the other hand as he surveyed them both. “And a  _ friend _ .” He stared at their joined hands for a moment too long and Mark let go almost immediately. 

Lucas could practically feel the fear radiating off of Mark and the lack of contact was not helping his own nerves. 

“I thought you were doing business with Taemin.” Mark said, his voice was shaky.

“Your  _ brother _ ,” The man sneered, “Is a lying cheat, he took my money and then his asshole  _ henchmen _ kicked me out.” Mark’s face twisted into something unreadable. “So I think,” The man continued, “That it’s fair for me to be a little frustrated.”

“Right, yes of course.” Mark said quickly, Lucas was confused, so utterly out of the loop. But he knew that this man was dangerous. That whoever Mark’s brother was, was equally so. And that right now he and Mark were in some serious trouble. 

He stepped forwards, trying to put himself between Mark and the man. But Mark held out a hand, “No Lucas, you have to stay behind me.” He said, his voice still tight, but no longer shaking.

“How  _ brave _ .” The man said. His voice was pinched and lilting and his dark eyes were narrowed, “So protective little Mark, always putting others first. But  _ who _ will keep  _ you _ safe.”

The man shifted the hand that held his cufflink and slipped it momentarily inside his sleeve. Lucas saw something flash, shiny metal catching on the light from the streetlamp. Mark saw it too, and shoved him to the side, turning his head away just in time. 

The thin knife slid past Mark’s cheekbones, cutting a long gash along the side of his face. Stark red blood dripped from the cut and Lucas could see the fear in Mark’s eyes turn into something harder, something driven. 

He moved forwards, balling his fists at his sides, but the man came to meet him, reaching into his other sleeve.

Lucas felt useless, he knew next to nothing about fighting, his father had tried to teach him some fist fighting techniques when he was younger, but even those were impractical when faced with proper weapons. 

The man pulled out a second knife, Mark swung a fist forwards, aiming for the man’s face. But before he could make contact, the man snapped his hand up and caught Mark’s arm. He twisted it back, held it beside Mark’s face and brought the knife in his other hand awfully close.

“Oh Mark,” said the man as he pressed the sharp tip of the knife to the soft skin at the bottom of Mark’s hand. His voice was almost gently condescending as he pressed the blade into Mark’s skin. “When are you going to learn to carry a weapon with you?” 

Blood emerged from the wound, pooling at the top of Mark’s wrist before dripping down the length of his forearm and dropping to the ground off of his elbow. Mark gritted his teeth, and hissed. Lucas watched, feeling paralysed, so utterly hopeless.

“Please,” he said, doing his best not to cry. “Let him go, he didn’t… He didn’t do  _ anything _ .”

“Look at that _ little Mark _ ,” The man turned to Lucas and sneered. Keeping his grip on Lucas’s arm tight and the blade pressed firmly against Mark’s hand. “Your pathetic friend is trying to help you out. I hope he knew what he was getting himself into when he became involved with you.”

“ _ Kibum _ ,” Mark said sharply, “Leave him alone.”

“Or what Mark,” Kibum snapped back. “Tell me,” He pressed the blade deeper into Mark’s skin and Mark squeezed his eyes shut. “Tell me what you’ll do.”

“Please,” Lucas tried again. His heart was beating erratically in his chest. “I have money, I can… I don’t know… Just  _ please _ , you’re hurting him.”

Kibum removed the knife and dropped Mark’s arm. He stepped forwards, and Mark moved to intercept him. “I do not  _ need _ your money.” He said to Lucas, “Understand your place, if you stick around people like Mark for long enough, you’ll encounter far worse than me.”

And with that he turned away, and began to stalk off. But he paused and stopped to wipe the thin blade on his dark pants, “You know better than to be out when your brother is making deals, Mark. You’re lucky it was only me this evening.” He said, before slipping the knife back inside his sleeve and continuing on his way. 

He turned a corner and Lucas ran to Mark immediately. “Holy shit,” He said, his breaths came quickly and uncontrollably fast, “Are you ok? Can I… Fuck! Your hand, Holy shit... ” He reached forwards, and Mark reluctantly let him see his hand. 

The blood had dripped down to his fingers, and threaded between his knuckles. The gash on Mark’s face had dripped a thin line of blood down all the way down his neck. His collar was now stained, as was the side of his shirt. “We need to get to the shop.” Mark said, the shakiness had returned to his voice, and he shivered against the night air. 

“Ok,” Lucas said as he pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around Mark’s shoulders.

“No,” Mark said unconvincingly as he swayed on his feet. “I’ll get blood on it.” 

“It doesn’t matter Mark, I can wash it later.” He gently slid a hand around Mark’s waist and guided him across the street. Mark cradled his bloodied hand in front of his chest, he winced as a particularly strong gust of wind blew past, tossing his hair into the sky, whipping it past the cut on his cheek.

Lucas knocked on the door. The man Mark had embraced a few days ago opened it with a confused and mildly panicked expression.

“Mark?” He said, eyes flicking to Lucas for a moment, “You… Aren’t supposed to be here… Oh My God, your cheek… Your hand! Fuck!” He held the door and beckoned them both inside. He wordlessly led them back to the door to the storage room, but instead of turning to the staff room, he opened a door behind the main one and led them into a larger open space. 

It was decked out with a set of chairs, a largish dining table and a kitchenette space. Three doors branched off from the main room. The man didn’t stop and instead walked over to a cupboard and pulled out a first aid kit. 

Mark sat on one of the larger chairs and Lucas hovered awkwardly by the door. Mark’s eyes were hooded and his head hung low. The man approached and crouched in front of Mark. 

He pulled a piece of gauze from the kit and pressed it to the gash on Mark’s hand, Mark winced at the pressure, but did not pull away. He held the gauze down with one hand and looked expectantly at the man. The man did not speak until he’d removed a small bottle and a packet of wipes from the kit. 

“What even happened Mark?” He hissed, “You aren’t meant to be around here when Taemin’s negotiating.”

“It was Key.” The man made a noise that almost sounded like a growl, “I didn’t even… I didn’t realise we were near here until I saw the street sign.” Mark admitted quietly, “I take it the meeting didn’t go well.”

The man snorted softly, “You can say that again. Taemin wasn’t very happy, he left pretty quickly afterwards.” He pulled a wipe from the packet and poured a small amount of the some fluid from the bottle onto it. “This is gonna sting.” He said gently.

Mark gave a resigned sigh, “I know.” He said in an almost sleepy voice, and Lucas’s heart hurt. What kind of world did Mark live in where the anticipated sting from antiseptic was common knowledge. 

Mark squeezed his eyes shut as the man held the wipe to his cheek and gently cleaned the cut. It was evidently not as bad as it had looked previously, but was still causing Mark a great deal pain. 

When the man was finished, he applied an ointment to the affected area and managed to find a bandage that was large enough to cover the wound. When he was satisfied with the coverup, he turned to Mark’s hand. 

The cut was deeper and there was blood everywhere. But the bleeding had stopped. The man gently removed the gauze Mark was holding. He started cleaning away the dried blood that was tracked up Mark’s arm, and helped him remove Lucas’s jacket. 

Mark’s eyes slid shut and he looked as though he were doing everything to keep his head upright. The man took a fresh wipe from the packet and cleaned around Mark’s fingers, his wrists, most of his palm.

Another fresh wipe, another dose of antiseptic dashed on the starch white material. “It’s gonna sting again Markie,” The man said tenderly and ran a thumb along the side of Mark’s hand. Mark only hummed in response, his eyes stayed shut. 

When the man pressed the wipe to Mark’s hand, he breathed out a heavy breath through his nose. He didn’t react with any other part of his body, he did not pull his hand away. He simply sat, stoic and rigid.

The man finished cleaning the wound and dabbed some of that same ointment over it. He dug in the first aid kit for another piece of gauze and some bandages and gently wrapped Mark’s hand. 

He stood when he was completely finished and hummed as he stood, taking Mark’s shoulders in his hands as he helped him stand. 

Lucas started forwards, seeing an opportunity to help out, but the man shot him a lethal glare. Lucas planted his feet and stood with his lips slightly parted. The man led Mark over to one of the doors and pushed it open. From the tiny glance he was barely offered, Lucas spied a bed inside, and a chest of drawers along one of the walls. 

The door closed firmly. Lucas was reluctant to move from his spot, and so he hovered. Standing awkwardly in the corner of the room beside the door he had come in through. Finally, as he stood alone, in a strange house that he hadn’t known existed, he allowed himself to process what had happened.

The fear in Mark’s eyes, the way his expression had shifted into something darker. The strange man and his knives. His harsh words. His own uselessness. How he’d just stood by and let Mark get hurt, how he couldn’t even do anything to stop what had happened. 

He hadn’t realised he was crying until the door opened and the man from before walked out. Lucas wiped at his face quickly as the man glared at him from across the room.

“Who the fuck are you?” The man said harshly. “And what the fuck were you doing out this late with my brother?”

Lucas felt his heart drop into his stomach, and his breathing quickened. “I’m Lucas.” He said, trying to ignore the way his hands shook by his sides, “I was… I’m Mark’s friend. We went for dinner, and then we went for a stupid walk and that guy was there and he… He fucking… The knives… And…” He paused, trying to take a breath, “Is he going to be ok?” 

“Mark will be fine, he’s tougher than he looks. He lost a little blood, but I’ve given him some painkillers. He’ll be sore in the morning, but he’ll be fine.”

“He… Thank  _ god _ .” Lucas said quickly, running his fingers through his hair, “I was just… I was so afraid. I can’t fight for shit, and the guy had knives and I just… I don’t know what’s going on.”

Mark’s brother raised an eyebrow, but then walked over to one of the chairs, and took a seat. He gestured to one of the chairs in front of him. “Sit down  _ Lucas _ . Let’s talk, shall we?”

Lucas did as he was told. He folded his fingers through each other nervously as he sat down. 

“I take it you don’t know much about  _ this _ side of Mark’s life.”

Lucas shook his head, and wondered whether he should be afraid. The man hummed, watching him carefully. He had such bold eyes and Lucas felt as though they could see entirely through him. “I’m Taeyong, one of Mark’s older brothers.” He said. “There are two of us. The other is involved in a specific type of… business. That usually ends up falling on the other side of the law. His name is Taemin, and you should hope you never have the pleasure of meeting him.”

Lucas stared back, eyes wide. He could feel the blood pulsing through his veins, the irregular rhythm of his heart echoed in his ears. 

“The person you met this evening was a man named Kibum Kim. He is incredibly dangerous and has connections with at least half of the most powerful people in this city. He was meeting with Taemin this evening to discuss a  _ business _ deal.” He spoke carefully, each word was perfectly articulated and thought out. “Usually, on nights like this, when Taemin has  _ meetings _ , Mark stays away. He finds other things to do, spends time with friends. And I let him know when it’s safe to come home.”

Taeyong sighed, “I won’t blame you, because you didn’t know. But years ago, before she passed, I promised our mother I would keep Mark away from all of this, keep him safe. But I keep fucking up, and he keeps getting hurt.” Lucas thought of the split lip, of the various bruises, and wondered how Mark had managed to acquire them. 

Taeyong wiped a hand over his eyes, let out a shaky breath. “Thank you,” He said at last, and Lucas had to fight to keep a shocked expression off of his face. “For bringing him home. For trying.”

“It was really no problem. I can’t even imagine just leaving him.” Taeyong smiled slightly at that, and Lucas realised they had the same smile. The light upwards turn of the outer corners of their mouths, the crinkling of the eyes. 

Taeyong lifted his hand and tilted his wrist to check the time, “It’s too late to let you leave. Do you want to stay over? Or will you be missed at your house.”

“Oh,” Lucas said, he thought for a moment. No one at home would notice he was missing. His flatmates were usually out most of the time. “If it’s not too much trouble…”

Taeyong stood and collected some sheets from a cupboard along the wall. “You can use my bed, I won’t sleep until Taemin gets home. Or at least lets me know he’s ok.” He moved over to another of the doors, and pushed it open, he set the sheets down on the bed and left Lucas to make himself comfortable. 

Taeyong paused as he began to walk out the door. “You know, he talks about you. All the time. It’s insufferable really.”

Lucas felt his ears go warm, “He does?” 

“He does. And before you say anything else, I want you to know that I know sixteen different ways to kill a man and multiple ways to break every bone in your body. So don’t you  _ ever _ hurt him.”

Lucas stiffened and hoped that Taeyong didn’t notice, “I wouldn’t dream of it.” And he realised that he meant it. Lucas didn’t know exactly how he felt, but he knew that Mark was important to him. And he also knew that he wanted to be around Mark all the time.

“I really hope you mean that.” Taeyong said, before leaving the room and shutting the door behind him. 

✿

Lucas woke up in the early hours of the next morning and for a moment forgot where he was. Then the events of the previous night flooded over him. He got out of Taeyong’s bed and straightened the sheets.

His clothes were wrinkled, and only slightly bloodstained. But he couldn’t find it in himself to care. 

He emerged from the room cautiously, to find Mark sitting at the dining room table and Taeyong standing at the sink, rinsing some dishes. They were immersed in some strange conversation, but Taeyong looked up to see Lucas.

“Good Morning,” He said. Lucas noticed the way Mark tensed slightly. Taeyong looked between them for a moment, “I think there’s something I have to go and check on in the shop.” and then to Mark he said more quietly, yet still loud enough for Lucas to hear, “I’ll let you two talk about this one.”

He turned the tap off and shook his hands as he walked to the door. When he shut the door behind him, Lucas moved over to stand beside the table where Mark was seated. His hand was still bandaged, though it looked like it had been rewrapped some time this morning.

“Are you ok?” Lucas asked, “I was just so… I was so worried. And I couldn’t do  _ anything _ to help you. I was so afraid, Mark.”

Mark offered a tiny smile. He looked exhausted, the bandage over his left cheek didn’t help. “I’ll be ok. I’m a little tired though, Taeyong said blood loss does that. I take it he told you about… Our family history.”

“Only a little, enough to understand what happened.” Lucas admitted.

“I didn’t… I never meant for you to get caught up in this.” Mark said quietly and dropped his head, “I’m sorry, I'm so, so sorry.”

Lucas reached out a reassuring hand and caught Mark’s good cheek gently. He ran a thumb along the cheekbone, “It’s ok Mark, It’s ok.” He said kindly, “I’m alright, I don’t care about any of that. I still like you, regardless of what dodgy activities your family are into.”

Mark chuckled, beautiful and unexpected, “When you put it that way it sounds a little odd.” He admitted. 

Lucas matched his laugh with his own. “I guess you’re right. But I mean it. I… I kinda  _ really _ wanna kiss you right now.” He ducked his head and said the last part under his breath, almost hoping Mark didn’t hear him.

“What’s stopping you?” Mark said in a matching tone, forcing Lucas to meet his eyes. Mark scanned his face for a second and Lucas leaned forwards. The smallest fraction, Mark moved to meet him in the middle.    
  
Mark’s lips were soft, considering how often Lucas had seen them split or bruised. Lucas slid the hand that rested along Mark’s cheek into his hair, twisted his fingers into the hair at the base of his head. Rested his thumb just behind Mark’s earlobe.

Mark smiled into the kiss and used his good hand to pull Lucas closer, knocking their noses together with an ungraceful bump. He laughed against Lucas’s mouth, and Lucas honestly thought he’d never been happier.

✿

Mark walked into the tattoo parlour. He was more confident these days, and was becoming quite familiar with Baekhyun. Lucas could barely stand the teasing that usually ensued when the two of them were put in the same room. 

The parlour was a great deal more colourful than it had been just a few months ago. Mark had bought more and more plants over, there were bouquets on almost every surface and some of the floor space was taken up with giant leafy house plants.

Mark’s scars were beginning to heal, the one on his cheek was barely more than a thin silver line that passed just underneath his eye. The one on his hand was a little more noticeable. It was a gnarled mess of scar tissue that would likely take a few years to properly fade, and would probably never disappear entirely.

Lucas didn’t ever want him to feel uncomfortable with them, and so had made recent practice of frequently kissing either spot. Lifting Mark’s hand gently and pressing soft kisses along the inside of his wrist and finally ending up at the scar, always pressing the tenderest of kisses against the skin. When kissing his cheeks, Lucas aimed for the scar or the tiny mole that sat just beneath it. 

He walked around behind the desk and draped his arms over Lucas’s shoulders, resting his head next to Lucas’s. “Hi.” He said quietly.

“I have something for you.” Lucas said, suddenly feeling a little nervous.

Mark’s eyebrows shot up and he lifted his head to look at Lucas properly. “What for? It’s not like it’s my birthday or something…” 

“No, I know. I just... “ Lucas took in a deep breath, “I just wanted to get you something.”

Mark smiled at that, and kissed the corner of Lucas’s mouth. “Should I be worried?”

“No of course not. Just… Let me go and get it.” Mark detached himself and Lucas stood up. He had stored his gift in Baekhyun’s office earlier that morning in anticipation of Mark’s visit. He’d made sure to give enough water to last it the day.

He took the pot in both hands and took it over to the door. Lucas opened the door with one hand and stuck his head out. “Close your eyes.” He called.

“Oh my goodness,” Mark said, faking exasperation. But Lucas could hear the smile in his voice. “They’re closed.” 

“Ok, ok.” Lucas said, and emerged from the office. He moved over to where Mark was standing and stood in front of him for a second. Mark had both hands covering his eyes. “I’m gonna need both of your hands,” He said and then quickly added, “But you can’t look!”

Mark laughed softly, but brought his hands down in front of him, holding them slightly outstretched between him and Lucas.

Lucas lifted the pot and put it carefully into Mark’s hands. “Have you got it?” He asked.

“I do.” Mark said, and the smile on his face was enormous, “Can I open my eyes now?”

“Yeah, I suppose you can.” Lucas said nervously. Mark opened his eyes and immediately looked down at his hands. His mouth dropped open slightly.

“You… You got me a plant?” Mark’s eyes had gone a little watery, “You got me an anthurium? You… Lucas…” Mark reached forward with one hand, and pulled Lucas tightly against him. Any nerves Lucas had were replaced immediately.

“Do you like it?” He asked, tucking his head onto the top of Mark’s. 

“Like it? For fucks sake, Lucas I love it.” 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Mark pulled away and looked at Lucas properly. “And I love you.”

“You do? Are you sure?” Lucas said quickly. Feeling a blush forming on his cheeks. 

Mark laughed, that soft gorgeous laugh that Lucas loved. “Yeah Lucas, I do, I’m sure.”

Lucas pulled him in again, wrapped him in the tightest hug he could manage, “I love you too Mark, I love you so much.” 

Mark grabbed Lucas’s chin with his scarred hand and pulled him into a kiss. It was brilliant and blinding and Lucas wanted it to last forever. 

And then the door to the parlour opened, and a somewhat amused voice spoke up from somewhere behind them.

“I know you two are  _ young _ and  _ in love _ or whatever. But could we keep the workplace PDA to a minimum please?”

Baekhyun’s interruption sent them both springing apart. And, if it were remotely possible, Lucas turned an even deeper shade of red. Lucas opened his mouth, he wasn’t entirely sure what he was trying to say in the first place, but Baekhyun held up a hand and cut him off.

“I don’t want to hear it.  _ You _ have a client in half an hour and we really don’t need the customers seeing that.” Then they turned to Mark, “Lovely to see you as always.” 

The door to their office was closed rather forcefully behind them as they stepped inside. And with the click of the latch, Mark burst into laughter. He was still holding the anthurium, and his face was scrunched up as he laughed. 

Lucas thought he’d never looked more beautiful. The afternoon sun streaming through the windows and casting its rays over his hair, his eyes, his nose. So utterly reminiscent of a time when this would have been slightly more uncomfortable. As Mark laughed on and on, Lucas joined in, the reality of the situation kicking in. He was in love. Properly and wholly. And Mark loved him back. 

Mark  _ loved _ him back.

**Author's Note:**

> [twt](https://twitter.com/thekeehorse)  
> • [cc](https://curiouscat.me/ghoulhwa)  
> 


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